What is lockout/tagout?
Lockout places a lockout device on an energy isolating device, following an established procedure, so the equipment cannot be operated until the device is removed. Tagout places a tagout device to indicate that the equipment may not be operated until the tag is removed.
By Cairn. Updated . Sources: eCFR text as of October 27, 2026.
The legal definitions
“Lockout. The placement of a lockout device on an energy isolating device, in accordance with an established procedure, ensuring that the energy isolating device and the equipment being controlled cannot be operated until the lockout device is removed.”
“Tagout. The placement of a tagout device on an energy isolating device, in accordance with an established procedure, to indicate that the energy isolating device and the equipment being controlled may not be operated until the tagout device is removed.”
Where it applies
- 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) 42 paragraphs use the term. Read the text on eCFR.
- 29 CFR 1910.269, Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution 40 paragraphs use the term. Read the text on eCFR.
In the enforcement record
Federal and state-plan agencies issued 50,526 cited violations under 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), from January 2016 through September 10, 2026. The section ranks 4th among the 248 sections of 29 CFR cited at least 50 times. This is the count for the whole section, not for the term alone.
Cairn data, October 2026 snapshot.
See the full record for 29 CFR 1910.147Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.147, The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout). eCFR, text as of October 27, 2026.
- Cairn data, October 2026 snapshot. Cairn analysis of the OSHA enforcement record.
Written by Cairn, updated . The quoted text is copied from the sources above. A test compares each quotation with a stored copy of the source, and a separate script compares that copy with the live sources. This page explains the law and is not legal advice.